var ctx = c.getContext('2d');
var pat_ctx = document.createElement('canvas').getContext('2d');
var cell_size = 20;
// just a basic drawing example
// first we generate the grid as a pattern
ctx.fillStyle = generatePattern(cell_size, cell_size);
drawShape();
ctx.stroke();
// we move the pattern by half a cell because we actually drawn only a cross
ctx.translate(-cell_size / 2, -cell_size / 2);
ctx.fill();
// make the grid follow the mouse
// without having to redraw ourself the grid
onmousemove = function(e) {
ctx.setTransform(1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0);
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, c.width, c.height);
drawShape();
ctx.stroke();
// move the grid
ctx.translate(e.clientX - cell_size / 2, e.clientY - -cell_size / 2);
ctx.fill();
}
// click to zoom (+shift to zoom out)
onclick = function(e) {
if (e.shiftKey) cell_size--;
else cell_size++;
ctx.fillStyle = generatePattern(cell_size, cell_size);
onmousemove(e);
}
// dimply draws a cross
function generatePattern(w, h) {
var canvas = pat_ctx.canvas;
canvas.width = w;
canvas.height = h;
pat_ctx.moveTo(w / 2, 0);
pat_ctx.lineTo(w / 2, h);
pat_ctx.moveTo(0, h / 2);
pat_ctx.lineTo(w, h / 2);
pat_ctx.stroke();
return pat_ctx.createPattern(canvas, 'repeat');
}
function drawShape() {
ctx.beginPath();
var pts = [
20, 20,
80, 20,
90, 50,
120, 90,
30, 80,
20, 20
];
for (var i = 0; i < pts.length; i += 2) {
ctx.lineTo(pts[i], pts[i + 1]);
}
}
<canvas id="c"></canvas>